Thank goodness for the '80s

 

It's getting so that I'm running out of places to turn to find cards that I like that aren't stupidly expensive or unavailable.

 

Modern cards are out in that area. They're seeded with short-prints and often they prevent you from finishing a set. See: 2025 Topps Heritage.

 

Vintage in many cases is out. Thank goodness for card shows, I can still find them there. But looking for cheap vintage online is a old-fashioned practice that became fruitless a few years ago.

 

Even my dear '70s is filled with roadblocks. I'm at a stand-still with both Kellogg's and Hostess, either because of prices (Kellogg's) or unavailability (Hostess).

 

Sure, I like a whole bunch of different kinds of cards so I can always pivot, but the only reliable period to pivot is the 1980s. Heck, that's still a decade that makes people just give away whatever was manufactured during those 10 years. Thank goodness! There's a reason I've written so many odes to the 1980s.

 

Recently, Batting Out Of Order held a sudden giveaway that contained cards from all manner of eras and sports. But what I wanted most was from the 1980s. And I was able to get it -- easily!

 

This is what a wanted most out of the entire inventory -- two 1986 Topps box bottom individual cards.

 

The 1986 box bottoms is my all-time favorite look from the 1980s period when Topps was placing cards on the bottom. In fact, here is my impromptu ranking of those box-bottom years:

 

1. 1986

2. 1988

3. 1989

4. 1987

 

If I were placing 1990 in that list (but that's not the '80s), it would go third -- I like those green borders.

 

I've loved the red-topped 1986 cards since the moment I saw them. I own the entire 1986 O-Pee-Chee box-bottom set (which look the same), thanks to Angus. But I haven't done very well with the Topps version. These two cards are just my fifth and sixth of the 16 singles.

 

But since they come from the 1980s, I probably don't have to sweat getting the others!

 

 

I also claimed this card straight from the middle of the 1980s, it's from the 1985 Topps Woolworth's All-Time Record Holders set.

 

I've done very little with this set although I imagine I could grab the entire set for very little. It has two things going for it: it was available at Woolworth's and the checklist is terrific -- Sam Crawford, Cliff Johnson, Hub Leonard, Earl Webb, Dwight Gooden all in the same 44 cards.

 

But the look of it has scared me away. Not crazy about the drawn wood frame and name plate. It doesn't fit the '80s vibe at all.

 

Still, it was plenty available!

 

Another 1980s thing that was available for the taking was not even cards. But they contained cards!

 

 

 I received these empty 1980s Traded boxes from reader Chris, with whom I've transacted many times.

 

I've always wanted all the '80s Traded mini boxes. They're so tidy and I love that Topps made the box a different color every year -- until 1988, maybe. Is that a darker blue or the same?

 

I especially wanted the 1982 box that I showed at the top of the post. This is the box that ordered through the mail in 1982, the first time I ordered a Traded set. I still don't know what I did with that box.

 

So with that secured I have all but one of the 1980s boxes.

 

I still need the 1983 one, which is green, but a lighter green than the 1987 one.

 

I don't want to pay the $15-18 for an empty box that is currently on ebay (even the 1980s prices can be dumb). So I'm in the market for one, maybe through a trade.

 

I have an extra 1989 one that I can trade, but that doesn't seem like a fair exchange.

 

At any rate, I'm pleased I have all but one, and now the challenge is to figure out how to display them. But it's a nice challenge to have.

 

Thank you 1980s for being you.